15th Gustaf Dalman Lecture by Professor Dr Konrad Schmid (University of Zurich)

"Second Order Thinking", as Yehuda Elkana (1934-2012) called it, describes the development of mathematics, philosophy and related ways of thinking from the perspective of the history of science. Their beginnings are usually sought in ancient Greece, but they can also be found in the Ancient Near East and in Israel. Although the Hebrew Bible does not formulate a theory of "Second Order Thinking", it shows clear signs of a developing meta-reflection in the areas of law, religion and prognostics. This lecture will present the "Second Order Thinking" of the Hebrew Bible on the basis of several examples, going beyond the usual and problematic assumptions of a "Hebrew thinking" or an "axial time".

Konrad Schmid has been a professor at the University of Zurich since 2002. In 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2026 he was a guest lecturer at the Dormitio in Jerusalem, and in 2012-2013 and 2022 he conducted research at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 2017 he was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, in 2018 he received a Humboldt Research Award and in 2019 an ERC Advanced Grant. In 2020-2021 he was a Fellow of the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin.

Welcome: Professor Dr Thomas Klinger
Moderation: Professor Dr Stefan Beyerle